This court was designed, created to convict me — Estrada

Ousted President Joseph Estrada said yesterday he had no chance of a fair trial on corruption and perjury charges, prompting the court to offer to "swear on a pile of bibles" that it was aboveboard.

"I believe that this court was designed and created to convict me," the former matinee idol told the packed court which was guarded by 1,000 policemen in full riot gear.

"I am just leaving my fate to God and to our people."

Sandiganbayan special division Presiding Justice Minita Nazario told Estrada to mind his language but also assured him that the three justices –two women and one man –would be fair.

"We will swear to you on a pile of bibles that we are men (sic) of integrity. You just have to trust us, Mr. President," she said.

Estrada was not convinced. "I have already decided that there’s no use for me to recognize this proceeding," he said.

Thousands of police stood guard around Manila as Estrada was transported from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to the Sandiganbayan. He has already sacked his lawyers, saying the verdict was a done deal.

Nazario rebuked Estrada, telling him to limit his answer to the court’s questions and saying his statements in court were "grossly unfair."

The former president did not flinch. "That is what I feel," he said. "This is the first time in the judiciary that the justices were hand-picked."

He was referring to a decision by the Sandiganbayan earlier this year to transfer all his cases to a special division in order to speed up his trial.

Estrada was making his first appearance in court since lashing out at the judges in a television interview on Feb. 27.

He said that he no longer needed his lawyers and that it was up to the justices "whether they want to send me to jail, slash my neck, inject" a lethal dose into him "or strap me to the electric chair."

The anti-graft court postponed Estrada’s arraignment on a new perjury charge until April 12 after court-appointed lawyers asked for time to review the case.

Estrada faces the charge for allegedly failing to declare bank deposits of P57 million in his statement of assets for 1998.

He is also on trial for economic plunder, which carries the maximum penalty of death, corruption, illegal use of an alias and another perjury charge.

Estrada, ousted in a people power revolt in January last year which brought Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to power, has denied any wrongdoing.

About 20 anti-Estrada protesters shouting "No to exile" tried to break through the police court cordon but were pushed back. Women protesters screamed as police raised their clubs and used truncheons to push them away.

Local radio said some claimed they had been hit. Some of their banners were confiscated.

About 15 demonstrators carrying a red, pro-Estrada flag appeared a few hundred meters from the court compound. There was no trouble.

Police took up position at the Supreme Court, the US Embassy and at Mendiola — a bridge leading to the presidential palace which has been the scene of mass street protests in the past.

Police also secured a nearby regional market where President Arroyo was handing out land certificates to the poor.

"We have to prepare for the worst," Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay told Reuters by phone.

The former president, who has asked the court to let him go to the United States for knee surgery, walked into the courtroom after being transported by a convoy of cars from the VMMC.

He grimaced and rubbed his left knee as he posed for the media. The deposed president, in a traditional barong Tagalog and brown trousers, was accompanied by his wife, Sen. Luisa Ejercito, and one of his sons, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito.

For her part, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro said the court is not concerned on what will happen to Estrada after the court resolves his cases.

"We are here to decide on the basis of evidence presented," De Castro said.

"I don’t believe so. The Supreme Court ruled on the legality of the ‘assumption into office’ of the Arroyo administration on the basis of the Angara diary newspaper accounts," Estrada said, referring to the serial accounts of the last days of his administration written by then Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara, that appeared in another newspaper.

"There is no way for this court to acquit me, because if you acquit me, I’m still president of the country," he said, justifying why he was waiving any future appearances in court.

Nazario said the court was requiring his presence so he could see for himself if the proceedings were biased against him.

"If you can just assure us that you will stop accusing us that we are not fair, we will allow you to waive your appearance. We also have to protect ourselves and the integrity of the Sandiganbayan," she said.

Former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Manuel Pamaran, now assigned as counsel ex officio of Estrada, said the special division should simply follow the rules of court.

"The accused is required only to be present during arraignment and on identification. Let us respect the rules of court and whatever the result, let it be left to the accused," he said.

Estrada was immediately taken back to the VMMCl after the court was adjourned. He did not talk to reporters.

Political tension has risen in Manila since Estrada dumped his lawyers on March 1.

The court formally appointed four lawyers to defend his case on Friday, saying it had a duty to protect defendants. –Jose Rodel Clapano, AFP